The voting rules as drafted by the Secretary of State would prevent thousands of legally registered voters from casting ballots in the upcoming elections, lead to multiple legal challenges to the March 8 elections and risk violating the federal Voting Rights Act.

In addition, the legislature needs to act to be sure that registered voters who lack sufficient identification on election day are not turned away.

The Arizona League of Women Voters and dozens of other organizations expressed similar opinions about the rules. I am committed to working with the Secretary of State to implement Proposition 200 as quickly as possible. We must, however, ensure that it is done in a way that respects the rights of all Arizona voters. Proposition 200 is intended to combat voter fraud, not to prevent qualified citizens from voting, and it should be implemented in a manner consistent with that goal.